A Guide to the New Facebook

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By now the ever-changing layout of Facebook comes as no surprise to most businesses. As a social media platform, Facebook has a professional obligation to stay on the cutting edge of technology, while keeping in touch with the demands of its audience. Unfortunately, in order to meet these demands, Facebook must roll out new versions very often. Although this can be frustrating to some businesses who have to completely readjust to every new version, these businesses can, with a little practice, master the process. More than that, they can reap benefits, as they will when those updates prove helpful in building a stronger social media presence.

It’s All About The Layout

Although there have been some changes to the inner software of Facebook, the most important change for businesses in this new design has been the freedom in layout. Facebook has always been known for intelligent layout designs. However, with the variety of users, user purpose, and content, it is nearly impossible for a single layout to be perfect for the needs of everyone. Facebook has been aware of this problem for a while, which is why there have been separate business, organization, and other page layouts for years. But with this latest update, Facebook seems to have adopted a new approach to page layout entirely.

Not only has the company expanded its available options for pre-designed layouts, but it has also made nearly every element on the page completely customizable by the owner of the page. This is remarkable in that it gives business owners, organizations, fundraisers, social media managers, and so many more groups the opportunity to build the webpage that is perfect for them.

One of the non-customizable perks of the new design is a cover photo window that has no graphic elements intruding on the photo or obscuring the photo in the way. With the profile photo being moved to the left hand corner and the “like” and “comment” buttons moved below the image, the cover photo is completely exposed. There are also now individual links available to any tab on the page. These, along with a few other new features, pose a great opportunity to expand the success of your Facebook and should be utilized by every business wanting to stay current.

How Can This Work For Me?

There are several new and exciting opportunities for social media growth with these updates and for those who do their research, the new design will yield great results. One of the most simple places to start with the new version of Facebook is to replace that bland cover photo with something attention grabbing and strongly branded. Now that the cover photo is out from behind the intrusive profile picture, it no longer needs to be a subtle background. This change has made the cover photo the most important picture on the page and the focal point of everyone viewing the page for the first time. This means that not only can you replace that subtle and boring cover photo, but you must. It is vital to make sure this image accomplishes three things. First, it must grab and hold the attention of the audience. Second, it has to demonstrate the benefits of the business to the audience. Finally, it should make a clear statement about the brand of the company.

Another important step to consider would be taking advantage of the links that are now easily found under the “manage tabs” setting. These links are based on the specific tab and can be very important in making sure your audience sees the exact information you most want them to see. A great example of utilizing these different tabs is to use the shop’s URL on an ad for a new store location, instead of the traditional homepage URL.

Easily the most important change a company should make with this new layout is to really take advantage of all the customization tools. Although the wide range of layouts can be a great place to start when deciding the setup of your Facebook, no matter what layout you choose it is important to customize your page on your own.

The best place to start with this is, again, under the “manage tabs” button to the left of your main feed. Not only can you pick a layout here that best suits the page content you wish to display, but you can change the placement of every individual tab or even delete tabs entirely. This can be very helpful on a week by week basis, depending on what is going on within the company. For instance, a company who just received a great celebrity review can put their reviews tab on the top of their feed so that everyone new to their site will see it immediately. This is also great for online-only companies, who can keep the business layout but delete the “shops” tab. Businesses are highly advised, however, to never delete tabs with customer feedback, such as reviews or the main feed. This is because audiences are generally very skeptical of companies they feel are trying to hide the opinions of their customers. With all the changes and possibilities of this new version of Facebook, the best way to extend your Facebook success is simply to go on Facebook and really explore the new changes for yourself. Don’t be afraid to play with several layouts, do plenty of research, and find the best possible version for you.